Cloning Research Paper

Cloning

Alex Vargo

Hour 4

Authors note: This is a research paper on the cloning process, advantages and disadvantages of cloning, and uses for cloning.

What if you could clone an exact copy of animal? Scientists are capable of doing that today. It is difficult process to clone, but use a common form of cloning called reproductive cloning which has good uses. Cloning does have it advantages, but it also has some disadvantages as well. Although cloning is a somewhat new technology, many scientists still study and test it. 

To start, reproductive cloning is a common form of cloning. “Scientists transfer the nucleus from an adult cell to an egg that had it its nucleus removed. The egg has to then be treated with chemicals or an electric current to stimulate cell division. Once the cloned embryo reaches a suitable stage, it is transferred to a uterus to develop until birth” (Cloning). This type of cloning creates animals that have the same DNA as another animal (Cloning).

Secondly, while many scientists choose to study further into it, cloning has its advantages and disadvantages. “Scientists hope that one day therapeutic cloning can be used to generate tissues and organs for transplants”  (Cloning). Although this would be very useful, “reproductive cloning is expensive and highly inefficient”  (Cloning). “More than 90% of cloning attempts fail to produce viable offspring” (Cloning). Cloned animals tend to have more compromised immune function and higher rates of infection, tumor growth, and other disorders and have been known to die mysteriously (Cloning).

Lastly, cloning technology has many other uses. Reproductive cloning can be used to develop animals with special qualities. “For example, drug-producing animals or animals that have been genetically altered to serve as models for studying human disease could be mass produced” (Cloning). Reproductive cloning also could be used to repopulate endangered animals or animals that are difficult to breed.

In conclusion, cloning is done all over the world today, and has caused new discoveries. Although having disadvantages, reproductive cloning is a common form of cloning. Scientists continue to study and test cloning, even though it is a somewhat new technology.

Bibliography

"Cloning." ThinkQuest. 19 April 2012 <http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112600/cloning.htm#>.

"Cloning." 1 July 2011. National Human Genome Research Institute. 20 April 2012 <http://www.genome.gov/25020028>.

"Cloning Fact Sheet." 11 May 2009. Human Genome Project Information. 17 April 2012 <http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml>.